Automatic oiling device for gas-meter diaphragms.



J. R. DALY. AUTOMATIC OILING DEVIGE FOR GAS METER DIAPHRAGMS.

APPLIOATION'FILED MAR. 16, 1908.

Patented Nov. 16. 1909.

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I 0 I I I I W M I I n m 0 0 I 0. w I I a I I I I 0 I I l I M m M M I, II 0 I J. R. DALY. AUTOMATIC OILING DEVICE FOR GAS METER DIAPHRAGMS.

I APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1908.

Patented Nov 16. 1909.

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JAMES 3. DAILY, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 JOHN EIVIQRYCROSS, 0F

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

AUTOMATIC OILING DEVICE FOR GAS-METER DIAPI-IRAGMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

Application filed March 16, 1908. Serial No. 421,582.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES R. DALY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of ()rlcans and State ofLouisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Oiling Devices for Gaslv'leter Diaphragms, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawing.

The present invention relates to dry meters for measuring gas andparticularly to meters of the general type which have as an importantfeature an expanding chamber to which the gas is admitted and from whichit is released when the chamber is filled. Expansion of this chamber isprovided for by means of a flexible diaphragm. The operation of thesemeters is well understood and need not be described.

The diaphragms are made of various materials but the one now mostgenerally used is leather. To secure accurate measurement, it isnecessary that the diaphragm be not only impervious to the gas to bemeasured, but that its flexibility be constant. It is an essentialcondition to the use of gas meters that they are in operation for longperiods without attention. The nature of the gas used is such that ithas a strong afiinity for oil and in a short time it extracts the oilfrom the leather forming the diaphragm and the leather becomes hard, dryand porous and cracks develop. This condition of the diaphragm offersnumerous obstacles to the operation of the meter, 2. portion of the gaspasses through the pores and cracks in the leather and is not measured,and when the diaphragm becomes stiff and crisp, it not only offersincreased resistance to the passage of the gas, but it does not inflatein the same form as when soft, and errors of measurement occur on thisaccount.

The object of the present invention is to provide a lubricating deviceby means of which the diaphragm may be kept soft and pliable for a longperiod, during which the meter receives no attention. In this way, thepliability of the diaphragm is rendered constant, its pores are filled,cracking is prevented and the greatest accuracy of measuring is secured;also, the resistance to the passage of gas is maintained at the minimum.

I am aware that it is old to apply lubricant to the diaphragms ofvarious pressure regulators for use with illuminating gas, but in thecase of a regulator the problem of lubrication is a different one fromthat which occurs in a gas meter. In the regulator, as the diaphragm isexposed to the gas on one side only and the other, generally the upperside, is easy of access, the diaphragm may be lubricated in variousways, as by placing the oil on its upper surface, 'or by leading itsedge into an annular reservoir of oil.

I am also aware that it is old to place a quantity of lubricating oilinside the measuring chamber of a gas meter to lubricate the diaphragm.This latter scheme is impracticable as to introduce the oil, themeasuring chamber must be opened, allowing the escape of gas andentrance of air. In practice, the measuring chamber should behermetically sealed during the entire life of the meter. Also,lubricating oil is rapidly taken up by the gas and a deposit of coal tarproducts and water is formed 011 the top of the oil after the meter hasbeen in operation for some time.

By my invention which is the subject matter of this application, 1supply to a diaphragm within the measuring chamber of a gas meter, suchdiaphragm being subjected to the pressure of gas on both sides, oilwhich comes from a receptacle which is separated from the measuringchamber so as to prevent access of the gas to the surface of the oil.The receptacle is preferably within the meter above the diaphragm and isof sutlicicnt capacity to hold oil to lubricate the diaphragm forseveral months or a year.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of my oiling device.

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section of a meter showing the oilingdevice. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the disks and diaphragms of a doublemeter removed from the casing; the wicks and wick holders of myinvention are shown in. their operative relation to the diaphragms. Fig.8 is a perspective view of the index chamber of a gas meter, the top andfront and rear walls being removed. Fig. a is an enlarged cross-sectionof one of the valves showing a portion of the valve seat.

The meter consists of a casing 1 having an inlet 2 for gas and an outlet3 for the same. The casing is divided by a horizontal partition 5 into avalve chamber 37'above and two measuring chambers 21 below. The latterare separated by a suitable vertical partition 30. The gas is excludedfrom the valve chamber and this chamber is made easy of access fromwithout. Within each measuring chamber is an expanding and contractingchamber 25, so that each measuring chamber may be said to be dividedinto two expanding and contracting chambers. These chambers 25 consisteach of a stationary disk or short cylinder 26 and a moving disk 27. Thedisks of each chamber 25 are connected by means of a loose flexiblediaphragm 4. The movable disk of each chamber is connected by means ofsuitable gearing to a registering device to be described. The connectingmeans includes an upright shaft 14 for each disk 27 to be oscillatedthereby as the disk moves back and forth. Each shaft 14: is connected byan arm 15 to the tangent screw 16, carried by the arm 19 of the valveshaft 18. Oscillation of the shaft let is communicated to the shaft 18to which the valve rods 20 of the slide valves 13 are connected. Byproper adjustment of this gearing, the oscillation of the shaft latcaused by the reciprocation of the corresponding movable disk as thechambers are filled and emptied in the operation of the meter,communicates to the valves 13 the necessary reciprocating motion toadmit the gas to one chamber and release it from another chamber at eachstroke. The casing of the meter is provided with a reservoir (5 for oil,and may have a supply inlet 7 which is controlled by a cap 8. From thisreservoir, horizontal tubes 9 lead to wick holders 10. The latter are inthe form of upright tubes secured to the horizontal partition 5 whichseparates the upper from the lower chamber of the meter. These tubes areshown as closed at their upper extremities and open downward, directlyover each diaphragm.

A wick 11 is placed in each tube 10 with its lower extremity which isspread out in the form of a brush in contact with the correspondingflexible diaphragm 4. The wick is made to fit snugly in the tube to.prevent the escape of gas.

The tube 9, as well as the reservoir 6, is constantly filled with oiland may be hereinafter referred to as included in the term, container.The tube 9 and the wick, or the wick alone, may be hereinafter referredto as a conductor for oil.

In the operation of the device, a supply of oil is placed in thereservoir 6. This passes through the tubes 9 to the holders 10, so thateach wick is kept supplied with oil which moves downward, partly bycapillary attraction and partly by force of gravity, on to thecorresponding diaphragm l. The wlcks of the tubes 9 are so proportionedas to supply to the diaphragm substantially the the gas, a receptaclefor oil isolated from the gas and. separated therefrom so as to preventfree access of gas to the oil receptacle, a wick holder in the form ofan upright tube closed at one end a tube leading from the oil receptacleto the wick holder, and a wick, one end of which is in the holder, thewick extending from the holder into contact, with the diaphragm.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES R. DALY. Vitnesses:

L. M. J owns, ROBERT EICHI-IORN.

